Motivation and excitement are conjoined twins. Compared to apathy they seem very useful states in which to orientate our goal setting compass.

When my dog is excited she can't help but wag her tail rigorously and adopts a posture full of hope and ready for action! This state however soon wears off, not only for my dog but most of us. Jumping up and down, heightening our senses via screams, exaggerated gestures and self talk that is actually a misnomer as its directed at all within earshot, brings to mind match point at Wimbledon.

I doubt however that this behaviour alone was responsible for getting anyone to a pinnacle. Life has a tendency to distract. Friends and relatives have a habit of interrupting our energised states with their issues. Bills, headaches, children, the abject performance of our favourite sports team, nightly news and a million other distractions continually dilute our motivation. Unrequited motivation ultimately leading to disappointment and occasionally despair. It's enough to make even the most upbeat poor soul doubt the merits of bothering sometimes.

Motivation has its place. Motivation gets us into gear, when expedience and the comfort zone beckon. The real key to long term accomplishment requires deeper foundations. Inspiration is like motivation on steroids. Inspiration usually manifests in a moment of clarity. Stories of unbelievable success from adversity, an insight into a true value that lay buried, a sudden and sharp pain that caused a perspective shift can be the wake up call that turns a smoker into a non smoker, a slave to a job into an entrepreneur, an itinerant into an aspirant, and perhaps a cynic into a believer.

Where does this elixir of success reside? How can we bottle it?

Few sources of inspiration are more powerful than saturation in the narrative of those who we admire and look up to. Mix with your heroes, read their words, follow their philosophy, throw in a pinch of motivation and take a first step...or what we like to call an ACTION!